Balance the Gunboat class, please. I can't help but repeat it.
Give it a nemesis that is not a CAU 8 Cap because all ships have a nemesis. But not GBs.
Restore the usefulness of the bomber against GBs.
Why is this important?
Have a look at the number of unlawful gunboats. It's huge. Now compare with what law enforcers field. Many official police factions do not even allow the use of GB and bigger.
You might have noticed system lockdowns like in New Berlin that last for hours. It takes military cap-factions like 2te| to clean it up because no one can beat 4 gunboats without... great numbers (> 6-7 bombers?) or capspam.
Now, why is it necessary to somehow balance GB class?
Because it should be possible to flush out a pirate roadblock with some police units and it should not require the 3rd Mountain Armored Division.
Solutions? I have only some vague ideas.
> reduce gb agility, so that the bomber class can still snac a turret steered gb (right now it is very hard to almost impossible to snac a well commanded GB)
> lengthen shield downtime to give bombers a better chance to hit hull.
> increase turret energy consumption (right now even 75 % core gbs can fire their guns continuously and can make every approach of a bomber impossible, if you do not want to lose 5-7 bots)
> Reduce the CAU armor class that can be mounted drastically. CAU 6 max for heavy GBs only, no/very low Cau for the agile ones. If you cannot be hit and rely on agility, a hit should hurt. (this will be tried, and I am curious.)
> Discourage the exclusive use of GB for piracy (e.g. reduce thruster speed below that of transports or reduce cruise speed slightly)
Generally, gunboats have no disadvantage right now.
They combine massive firepower with good survivability.
They lack a readily available enemy that outclasses them.
And the consequence: Their massed presence in the unlawful sector is imbalancing the gameplay.
